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1995 SESSION

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CHAPTER 791 An Act to amend and reenact §§ 18.2-426 and 18.2-429 of the Code of Virginia, relating to harassing phone calls to emergency telephones; penalty. [S 756] Approved April 6, 1995

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 18.2-426 and 18.2-429 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 18.2-426. "Emergency call," "emergency personnel" and "telephone party line" defined.

As used in this article:

"Emergency call" means a call to report a fire or summon police, or for medical aid or ambulance service, in a situation where human life or property is in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential.

"Emergency personnel" means any persons, paid or volunteer, who receive calls for dispatch of police, fire, or emergency medical service personnel, and includes law-enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical service personnel.

"Telephone party line" means a subscribers' line circuit consisting of two or more main telephone stations connected therewith, each station with a distinctive ring or telephone number. "Emergency call" means a call to report a fire or summon police, or for medical aid or ambulance service, in a situation where human life or property are in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential.

§ 18.2-429. Causing telephone to ring with intent to annoy.

Any person who, with or without intent to converse but with intent to annoy any other person, causes any telephone not his own to ring, and any person who permits or condones the use of any telephone under his control for such purpose shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Any person who, with or without intent to converse, but with intent to annoy, harass, hinder or delay emergency personnel in the performance of their duties as such, causes a telephone to ring, which is owned or leased for the purpose of receiving emergency calls by a public or private entity providing fire, police or emergency medical service, and any person who knowingly permits the use of a telephone under his control for such purpose, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.